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Rebuking king unpardonable: PM

KATHMANDU, DEC 24 - Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa today came down heavily on student demonstrators raising inadmissible slogans against King Gyanendra and said that the government would not spare anyone committing such an unconstitutional act.He made it clear that no one has the right to bypass the law and shout provocative slogans against the constitutional King, and said, "The students were arrested because they did this…If one crosses the limit (in democracy), then the law penalizes the guilty."
Replying to a question on whether the government would withdraw the sedition charges against three student leaders who allegedly chanted anti-King slogans, Thapa said, "Now the case is in the court. I cannot say anything." He also hinted that the government could consider releasing the student leaders if they pledged to refrain from doing so in future. "However, I have to discuss this matter with my colleagues," he said, but hastened to add that "no one who raises such slogans would be excused."
He was speaking to reporters on his return from Male, the capital of Maldives, today. Prior to that he visited Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, in connection with the forthcoming SAARC summit.Posted on: 2003-12-25 05:22

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